When he discussed Davis's situation, Paul left some doubts with his comments to Wojnarowski:

"Anthony will be traded to a team that allows him to win consistently and compete for a championship, Anthony wanted to be honest and clear with his intentions, and that's why informing them about this decision now. It's in the best interest of both Anthony's and the organization's future. "

The pelicans subsequently published a statement in which they asked the NBA to "strictly enforce the manipulation rules associated with this transaction."

] The scripture has been on the wall for some time . The pelicans reached the playoffs twice in Davis' first seven years, and they are in a hurry to miss the postseason this season. Six games separate New Orleans from the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers.

Sooner or later, Davis had to leave in search of a championship competitor or a larger media market.

Michael Lee @ MrMichaelLee

People look at this as LeBron / Rich Paul pulling strings, but AD changed agents last summer to make this happen. AD believes that he is the best player in the game, so failing to earn another All-Star start makes it dull with a loser who is untenable. AD has told us without telling us

Rarely has an agent been so explicit about a star's desire to change teams when he is already under contract. Paul's gambit gives Davis much more leverage, as the five-time-all-star already had some power to use for his next destination.

Marc Stein @ TheSteinLine

Anthony Davis' agent Rich Paul tells @NYTSports that he has not given the pelicans a preferred trading destination for Davis. But Davis' July 2020 free agency obviously gives a big say in where he lands, since no team will surrender meaningful assets to a player it cannot rewrite

A fine would be a small price to pay for Davis at Have the luxury of constructing a trade for its preferred choice of franchise.

When LeBron James signed with the Miami Heat in 2010, it invited several star players to test the waters of the free agency and prioritize winning a title over stays with the teams that drafted them. If Davis ultimately succeeds in his trading needs, it may have a similar influence on the league as agents replicating Paul's power movement.